Tradition, innovation and art in a science lab

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The Sainsbury Laboratory: Science, Architecture, Art

By Stephen Day, John Parker and Steve Rose

The laboratory holds an enduring place in the public consciousness. The work undertaken in such spaces changes our understanding of the planet we inhabit and share with other forms of life. Unlike other institutions, such as schools, colleges, libraries, archives and museums, laboratories have rarely been studied as culturally significant structures. Readers with a general interest in the arts and physical sciences will find this new book a rare treat. It explores the extensive planning behind the science, architecture and art of the newest addition to the Cambridge Botanic Garden: the Sainsbury Laboratory.

Funded by David Sainsbury, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, as part of the scientific work of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, this state-of-the-art facility was designed by the architects Stanton Williams. The introduction, written by Alan Stanton, surveys the history of the Botanic Garden, a project that was initiated in 1831 by John Henslow, a professor of botany and mentor of Charles Darwin during his time at the University of Cambridge. Stanton sets out the three key elements that are related to its environment: visual and physical connections between the external court and the laboratories; a single floor or laboratory space and offices that would make the most use of natural light; an internal corridor surrounding the central courtyard to improve social interaction in the workplace.

Science writer, Stephen Day provides a concise and accessible overview of our current knowledge of how plants are able to respond to their environments chemically and are built to do so genetically. In doing so, Day presents the rationale for laboratories that allow scientists to conduct research on the effects of climate change and agricultural techniques on plant species.

The director of the Cambridge Botanic Garden, John Parker, examines the history of plant science through Henslow’s legacy to the University and the wider scientific community. The design of the garden by Andrew Murray incorporated many of Henslow’s requirements for his research, which emphasized different characteristics in subspecies. It was this theme of variation that so fascinated scientists such as Darwin.

Architecture critic Steve Rose focuses on the traditions and innovations that have given rise to the Sainsbury Laboratory. Highlighting several bold architectural projects from the 1950s to the 1960s, Rose identifies not only the complaints from scientists about isolation in offices and inappropriate light levels for their work, but also the changing practices of scientific research. The ratio of support space to laboratory space, for instance, has been increasing since the 1980s, as has the amount of time spent on analysis as opposed to working in the laboratory.

Through many photographs of the building’s interior and exterior, plans, elevations and models, Rose explores the key design elements of the Sainsbury Laboratory, in particular the central courtyard, intended to reflect the quadrangles of a number of Cambridge colleges. The author also identifies the influence of the ‘thinking path’ from Down House, Kent, which Darwin used to walk for contemplation. Other features of the building allude to evolutionary theory, such as the treatment of surfaces and layers in terms of geological strata.

There are three chapters covering the works of three artists who were invited by David and Susie Sainsbury to contribute to the project. Norman Ackroyd undertook a journey to the Galapagos Islands where he was influenced by the same landscapes and fauna that so fascinated Darwin. Ackroyd’s response to the trip was a composite landscape of 40 stainless steel etched plates entitled Galapagos that draw attention to constantly changing light of the islands. Susanna Heron’s Henslow’s Walk was inspired by Henslow’s dried plant collection. The artist selected certain forms for production as shallow relief panels of yellow limestone embedded in an internal wall of the building. William Pye’s project concentrated on a form of outdoor sculpture using water and coloured light. His Starburst is a series of subterranean water jets that are placed below glass panels and lit from below. The fine jets of water striking the underside of the glass produce droplets that create a constantly changing ring of light; a reminder of two necessary factors for plant development.

This book is an excellent synthesis of studies in architecture, the history of science and contemporary art, and it successfully conveys the rationale for providing more than just a utilitarian space for future scientific research. The accompanying DVD, which contains interviews with the people involved in the project, and further information on the Botanic Garden, the building and the artists, is a welcome addition, let down only by the sound quality on the disc.

The Sainsbury Laboratory: Science, Architecture, Artby Stephen Day, John Parker and Steve Roseis published by Black Dog Publishing, 2012. 192 pp., 150 colour and mono illus plus DVD. 
ISBN: 978-1-907317-45-3